Whitewater testing sirens during tornado drill

The city of Whitewater will be testing its warning sirens April 24 in conjunction with a statewide mock tornado drill by the National Weather Service. Facebook photo

WHITEWATER--In conjunction with the National Weather Service's tornado drill, which includes a mock tornado watch and warning, on Thursday, April 24, for all of Wisconsin, the city of Whitewater will also do a sound test of its warning sirens, according to a release from the Whitewater Police Department.

The mock tornado watch--which will use real, live Emergency Alert System codes and sounds--will be issued at 1 p.m., followed by a mock tornado warning for all of Wisconsin at 1:45 p.m. The drill ends at 2 p.m.

A three-minute sounding test of the sirens will be heard throughout the city of Whitewater and the business alerting monitors will be tested at the same time. According to the release, there will be no "all clear" signal given at the conclusion of the test. The tornado drill will take place even if the sky is cloudy, dark or rainy.

If actual severe storms are expected in the state on April 24, the tornado drill will be postponed until Friday, April 25, with the same times. If severe storms are possible Friday the drill will be canceled.

Area residents are urged not to call their local police or fire departments in case of severe weather unless they encounter a real emergency situation. Those who want the latest information should listen to local radio and television stations for updated messages.

Also, beginning in May, a monthly testing of Whitewater's outdoor sirens will be done on the first Saturday of the month at 11 a.m. A monthly test will ensure that the sirens are working properly in the event of an actual warning. Any questions regarding severe weather and siren activation can be directed to Whitewater's Emergency Management Coordinator Sabrina Ojibway at (262) 473-0570 or sojibway@whitewater-wi.gov.